Wings of the Darkness
by uhnope
Summary: Luna, after months of being under house arrest, is permitted to go to a festival. However, an unnatural storm sweeps across the land, and Luna becomes part of an unlikely alliance try to escape before a fate worse than death befalls them.
1. Chapter 1: Royal Prisoner

_Yay, new story…hopefully I can keep everyone in mostly character. Durpdeederp._

_Disclaimer: As much as It kills me to admit it, I don't own the pwnies of My Little Ponies, Friendship is Magic._

~Chapter 1~

A night's work was done, and the dark alicorn simply watched from her bedroom window as her sister stepped outside, a brightly flickering aura flitting about her horn. She saw her night slowly diminish as the rising sun's rays drizzled into it, and turn the sky a rosy violet. She sighed, watching the blazing ball of light be pulled over the distant horizon. The golden streams of light and shine spilled over the mountains and brought luminosity to the world.

Luna blinked, and stepped away from her window. The weight of her guilt felt especially heavy today, her guilt of the time she had let herself become a power-hungry monster, Nightmare Moon.

She was ashamed, still ashamed, about letting herself be succumbed to the impurity of power-lust and ambition, turning her wicked, treasonous, forcing her own sister, her own counterpart to seal her away. The dark alicorn closed her eyes, shivering slightly as the memory of one thousand long, desolate, uncomfortable years in the moon swam back. Though she had been liberated from the darkness that had assumed her conscious, and her sister, Celestia, had forgiven her, Luna still sensed a broken chord in their kinship. A break that could never be sealed, could never allow them to be as close again. And though she was forgiven for her corruption, Luna knew, deep down, Celestia was still wary of her sister.

Luna had not set hoof outside the castle for weeks, months even, for Celestia had advised one of them needed to stay at the castle, to "watch over it." Luna knew it was because Celestia didn't want her younger sister out and about, maybe out of her lingering shame for the darkness Luna had allowed to take control of her. Her life was lonely, uneventful, but suppose she deserved it for the heinous deeds she had committed.

"Oh Celestia…" murmured Luna, watching the sun pull itself over the horizon, "Will we ever be friends again?"

…

Another day, perhaps, of being locked up all day? Forbidden to see the world, out of Celestia's shame and disappointment of her, most likely, Luna thought. Maybe she didn't trust her, or thought she would be possessed again. Did it matter why? Luna knew it was obvious Celestia was keeping her under house arrest, ever since her liberation from the moon and her former self.

"Dearest sister?" There was a rap at Luna's door, "Might I come in?" The dark alicorn stood up from the window, and magicked the door open for her older sister. Celestia stepped in delicately, her waving, muti-colored mane seeming to let off its own luminosity that lit up Luna's dimmer room. Her face was a mask of eternal fairness and delight, and her eyes full of love as she addressed Luna, "Good morning, Luna. How are you feeling?" she asked kindly.

Luna blinked. _What is that supposed to mean? _She wondered. Not that it was unusual for Celestia to be concerned about her, it just seemed out-of-the-blue today. Luna was, well, bored and depressed as always from her constant moping in her room all day, but other than that…

But wait…could she use this to her advantage, perhaps?

"Actually, Celestia…" Luna murmured in her soft voice, "It was actually feeling a little stuffy in here…I want to get some fresh air…" Luna felt like she hadn't been outside in years.

"Of course. You may walk around the courtyard for a while. It is quiet pleasant today for summer. Usually the days are so hot…" Celestia said.

Luna's blue gaze fell to the floor, "Actually, I was wondering if I could…you know…" she looked past Celestia, afraid to meet her gaze, "Fly around Canterlot for a bit…?"

Celestia's smile faded a bit and appeared crooked, as if she were trying to fend off her disdain, "After the summer storm yesterday, the Pegasi need that airspace to clear out the clouds."

Luna's face fell, "Maybe walk around…?"

"They're preparing for the summer festival, so the town's going to be turned into one big workspace. I wouldn't want you getting in anypony's way, Luna. It is an important festival they're having." Celestia informed her.

Luna sighed. It didn't take massive amounts of knowledge to know that Celestia didn't just want Luna getting in the way of things, she didn't want her to be seen. As if everypony could forget about Luna again, not know Celestia as the monarch with the tyrannical, power-hungry sister, "O-okay." Luna said softly. She began to leave the room to make her way to the courtyard, when she turned around. Celestia seemed to be anticipating her question, "May I…go to the festival with you…sister?" she asked timidly.

Celestia's dismay seemed even more obvious. _There used to be a time when she was so much more obedient… _She thought ruefully. Well the past is the past. Celestia had misgivings toward her sister coming to the festival, knowing how she refused her to come to any other celebration, including the Gala, which the white alicorn somewhat regretted neglected her sister from. She was about to refuse her sister's coming, but she met her gaze silently, seeing the plea shine in her little sister's beautiful blue irises. She didn't have the heart to decline. Besides, one festival…how bad could it be? Celestia sighed, "Alright," she said, her voice tinted with rue, "You may come to the festival. But later I must go over with you how to properly behave at a formal occasion."

"Really?" Luna seemed to perk up, her eyes shining in delight, "Really Celestia? I may come?" the much smaller alicorn seemed lit with happiness, Celestia thought she could see her glowing in it, "Oh, thank you, dearest sister! Truly, I love you so much!" the younger princess affectionately pushed her head against Celestia, holding back tears of sheer joy. Celestia sighed slightly, nuzzling her sister comfortingly,

"I love you too." Celestia let herself say.

…

But the festival was not to start for days! Luna stomped her carpet in agony as she watched the preparations that went about in the city below. She wanted to cry in frustration. After her sister's unexpected acceptance of her coming to the celebration, she felt if she had to spend another day locked up, she would explode. _Don't have a tantrum,_ she told herself, _Celestia is letting you go. Don't spoil it for yourself, don't embarrass yourself. It's only a few days…yes, a few days. Be patient. _Luna kept telling herself this. She needed every inch of patience and self-control to contain her hastiness and frustration.

_Only a few days! I can…I can finally be free…free from my home…my home and prison. _Luna watched the preparation with wide, excited eyes like a young filly's, as if her mood could speed along the process.

_Indeed…just a few more days…until you are…free…_ That time, the voice was not Luna's…


	2. Chapter 2: Temptation

_H.V: I know people don't read my fics anymore. But whatever, I'll keep writing for the heck of it. _

_~Chapter 2~_

For the seventy-two hours Luna had watched the preps with an impatient air, another was having her own spell of hastiness for the festivities to start. Of course this event included flight competitions, ones this individual pony in particular was sure, as always, she would win. After all, she had to keep the image of fastest Pegasus in Equestria.

Taking a break from flying laps around Ponyville, Rainbow Dash had been trying to get Fluttershy, another Pegasus to cheer louder for her again. But the pale yellow Pegasus was usually never known to shout about anything.

"Come on! Louder!" Dash snapped.

Fluttershy drew a silent breath, "Yay!" she mewled softly.

"Louder!" Dash urged,

"Yay!"

"LOUDER!"

Fluttershy drew in a deeper breath, and cried, "Yay!" not much louder than before. The rainbow-haired Pegasus growled in frustration. Fluttershy blinked at her, "Too loud?" she murmured. Dash shook her head and a new idea made its way to her, although it wasn't very possible.

Rainbow Dash asked her: "Hey Fluttershy…why don't you join the flight competitions this year?" she offered.

Fluttershy took a step back, the image of her alone in the sky, all those faces tipped up to watch her, the many eyes, not to mention pressure…she shook her head, banishing the thought, "Oh no, Rainbow Dash, I couldn't." she mumbled, "I'm just not a competition kind of pony…"

"Oh come on, please?" Dash asked, "You'll have fun, and if you win they have awards and stuff." Fluttershy wanted to ask just what was so fun about being stared down at in the sky by a massive audience, but Dash went on, "Maybe at least try flying faster than two miles an hour." She eyed her slyly, "If you can."

Fluttershy blinked. Dash was skeptical that she would take the bait, and her expression withered as the pale golden Pegasus declined again, "I really don't want to, Rainbow Dash." She murmured, "It's gonna be scary…"

"It won't." Dash insisted, "Why don't you try racing me, right now? You might find it fun." The blue mare offered her. Fluttershy dropped her gaze without confidence,

"But…"

"Look," Rainbow Dash said, "Just this one time, okay? You'll see if you like it or not. And there's just me here."

The yellow mare gazed around, and gave an almost invisible nod. Dash smiled widely, "Great!" she said, and immediately took to the skies. Fluttershy followed less certainly.

"Okay," Dash said as she hovered next to the shyer Pegasus, "Fly as fast as you can toward that cloud over there." She nodded at a low-lying fluff of a cloud in the distance. Fluttershy's gaze locked onto it, and a thin veil of uncertain determination glazed over her eyes. Dash smirked, "Ready, set, go!" she called, and both Pegasi shot through the sky.

She had to admit, Fluttershy was speedy, and her wing beats were pretty much silent, like an owl's. Dash felt much louder by comparison, and soon she found her purposely easy clip being outrun by Fluttershy. Dash put on a boost of speed, and shot ahead of Fluttershy, reaching the cloud before her. When she arrived, panting and huffing, her eyes were brimming with joy, "Again! Again!" she begged in her normally soft voice.

Dash smiled, "Told ya it'd be fun, didn't I?" she said, "So you wanna enter the race in the festival with me?"

Fluttershy nodded eagerly, "Oh yes, that was fun! I'd…" she paused, her bravado fading a bit, "I guess I can try…the race." She murmured.

Rainbow Dash looked at her, "We'll have a few more practice rounds. Tomorrow's the festival. It'll be awesome!" she said jubilantly. The two flight ponies began racing once again.

…

Luna watched as the sun was herded over the horizon. She had watched this scene but three times, counting the days until her release from the castle. Today was the day, at last.

The young princess made her way to her mirror that she had hanging on the wall. Her horn glowing, she summoned the hairbrush from her desk and ran it through her soft, blue mane, untangling the knots and twisted locks of hair. As she set the brush down, she glanced at her reflection, and her heart skipped a beat. She blinked once, twice, to make sure she was truly seeing this, and when she realized this was no hallucination, she shrieked.

Staring her back in the mirror was a jet-black alicorn, wings tapering at the tips, a lavender helmet worn on the head…Luna stumbled backwards, and the black alicorn did as well. Its face was a mask of horror, but seemed to have a demonic twist to it. _No…_Luna thought, her aqua eyes widening.

_Oh yes…_

Luna found herself struggling for breath. She crept up to the mirror slowly, and the black pony in the mirror matched her move-for-move, "Y-you're…?"

_I am._ The voice was vaguely familiar. The mare moved her mouth as Luna heard the words spoken in her head, not out loud.

"No…why…I thought…" Luna stammered. A low chuckle was heard,

_You thought you were rid of me, sweetest? Indeed, that was what you thought? Silly girl…_

Luna found herself shaking, and a cold sweat prickled the nape of her neck. She fought back tears of panic, and stood her ground before her transformed image in the mirror, Nightmare Moon, "What…do you want?"

_Why, to give you another chance, my dear! _Nightmare Moon's voice echoed in her head, _This couldn't be the end of us, could it? I mean…don't you want power, dominance over your kingdom?_

Luna dropped her gaze, "My kingdom is my sister's. We share it. And…I don't want to turn into a monster like you again!" she fixed a piercing sea-green stare at her supposedly-defeated alter ego.

_I am no more a monster than you a princess. I don't find interest in eternal night anymore. I come to you to tell you what you most need to know._

Luna hesitated, listening.

_Ah, you are curious! Very well. Haven't you noticed your inferiority around the castle?_

Luna waited.

_Yes, dear. You are only needed to raise the night, a time no one heeds, an often feared time. After we tried to take what was rightfully ours, we were sentenced to a long millennium in the moon. And who, dear, has been doing your job for centuries now?_

Luna's shoulders sagged, almost afraid of admitting. She sensed where this was going.

_Celestia has the power to raise the sun and moon, whereas you can only raise the moon. She has more power, she is the dominant sister, and she takes advantage of this privilege of power. She places you, dearest, at the lowest rung of power a monarch could have. The more inferior, the less dominant, the less powerful you are, Luna, the higher she becomes._

_Well…_It was Luna's thoughts now; _she has been excluding me from a lot of things…_

_Exactly dear! You may think this was just to make her Majesty's-_the word was sizzled with contempt,- _image look better. The once embodiment of both day and night didn't need her less important sister tagging alongside her. You see, dear…that is a flaw of yours: After the incident, you became quieter, humbler. You took full responsibility for what happened, though you know, deep down, what we did was right._

Luna blinked, staring at Nightmare Moon. She felt guilty, knowing this was the truth. Often times Luna felt her actions as Nightmare Moon was eventually for the greater good, but she never let herself dwell on these thoughts. Such negative energy could invite nightmares, such as the one that spoke to her in the mirror. _I can't turn on my sister… _she thought sadly.

The Nightmare Moon stared at her with an acid calm, _Very well, dear. Think about it. This doesn't need to be done right away…we'll start with baby steps. Gain your reputation back, gain your sister's trust back._

Luna blinked, and in that split second, Nightmare Moon was replaced with her own reflection. She sighed, eyeing the rising sun wearily. She felt sick with fear, but she knew that she had to attend the ceremony today. She looked back at the mirror. It…could have been a dream. The whole encounter felt so dream-like, and left Luna so dazed, she had to wonder if she really did imagine all that. She shook her head, and pushed her way out of her room, not seeing the lingering feral gleam in the eyes of her reflection.

…


	3. Chapter 3: Eye of the Storm

~Chapter 3~

"What's tah matter Twilight? You seem kinda off today." The tawny farm pony addressed the purple unicorn who seemed to walk as if dazed. Her gaze wandered with thoughts unknown to the rest of her friends. Hearing the voice made her jolt from her thought process,

"Oh, what?"

"You're a bit distracted." Rarity commented, "Today's the festival, you should be happy! Whatever is your problem?" she asked.

Twilight Sparkle was surprised as her gaze seemed to move automatically to the sky, "I'm not sure. Just a weird feeling…like something's going to happen."

She saw the blue and pale yellow bodies of her winged friends soar across the sky. All of them were rather surprised the usually somber and shy Fluttershy was going into the race with Rainbow Dash. The streets of Canterlot were jammed with game and food stands, and ponies were running around, chattering, laughing, having general fun. Why did Twilight feel she was the only one who felt there was a shadow cast over these festivities?

"You shouldn't be worrying, Twilight!" Came the cheerful voice of Pinkie Pie as she hop-skipped down the street alongside her friends, "At a super-duper fun party like this, you should be having super-duper fun, right? What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing." Twilight lied, feigning a smile, "Just something…about a book I read." She rarely ever lied outright, especially to her friends, for she knew it was wrong. But in this case it felt necessary. She didn't want to deprive the others of their upbeat moods for her seemingly gloomy air. They deserved to have fun here, and Twilight wasn't sure why she wasn't.

"Oh looky!" Pinkie Pie cried, waving a hoof in the air, "The race is starting!"

"But…wait h' second. Wouldn't them Pegasi clear up all t' bad weather? What's that ovah there?" Applejack pointed toward the distant horizon, where a broad, black cloud sat among the mountains. Ashy wisps of the cloud blew across the sky, reaching for Canterlot and its merry festival.

"Freak storm, perhaps?" Rarity suggested, "Though I'm sure I've never quite seen a cloud do that before…"

The cloud was hurrying across the sky, leaving ashy, wispy vapor in its wake. Occasionally its curls and folds were illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning.

"It's…headed straight for the flight race!" Twilight cried.

…

"Luna, what is that?" Celestia bent to whisper to her younger sister. Luna blinked, staring up at the fast-moving cloud with worry in her eyes. Before her older sister could say anything else, Luna burst out,

"I'll investigate it," she murmured and with one strong downstroke, lifted into the sky.

"Wait, Luna." Celestia called to her, "It might be dangerous. Did you see that lightning? I should take care of it." She offered.

Luna felt a familiar prickling over the back of her neck, traveling like a current down her spine. A whisper sounded in her head.

_She thinks she is stronger and more competent than you, my dear. She wants to play hero again…when was the last time you got your share of glory, of heroism? _

Luna blinked her eyes shut.

_Yes, dearest Luna. Don't back down now. You deserve more respect, more power. Go now, don't give her a chance to steal away this chance._

_You're so very right! _Luna thought, and, ignoring the older princess, flew off toward the storm.

"Luna! What do you think you're doing? Get back here!" Celestia called, stomping her hooves in anger and frustration, "That was an order, Luna!" when the dark alicorn did not even turn to look back, Celestia reared up, "Damnit! Luna you're making a mistake!" She raised her own broad, white wings.

"Wait!" Cried Twilight Sparkle. Celestia saw her student and her friends, excluding the Pegasi, galloping up. Twilight blinked at Celestia, "You can't go, princess. It really does look dangerous."

"But Luna…" Celestia began, and her anger toward her younger sister suddenly vanished, replaced with fear and panic for her, "No, Luna's up there!"

"An' so are Rainbow Dash n' Fluttershy!" Applejack realized.

"Wait," Rarity spoke up, "Can't you use your magic to get rid of the cloud?"

"I…" Celestia stammered, "There's something wrong…" Her horn was shimmering, pointed at the dark storm, but the swirling magical debris fizzled miserably, "My magic is not working…"

"No Princess, you can't go after her." Twilight moved in front of her mentor, a serious look in her eye, "It's too risky. If it eats magic, then it'll definitely be dangerous."

"But Luna…" Celestia whimpered, lowering her head sadly.

…

Luna's wings were shedding off feathers with each downstroke. The winds up here were confusing, coming at her from every angle, shredding at her primaries and making this flight arduous.

_Yes, Luna dearest. You are the only one who can defeat this storm. It is of dark alignment, your sister's light magic cannot harm it. You can, for your dark magic is stronger._

_Yes, I will save the day. _Luna repeated to herself as she neared the storm. She saw the wispy, shifting surface of the storm, and up close it didn't even look like a cloud. Not at all fluffy and pillowy, but more like a heap of heavy blacker-than-black mist, tumbling over and over through the sky. Constant slipstreams were whirling roughly around it. Luna struggled against a headwind, her horn glowing dark violet.

But her spell was interrupted. She felt the air around her lock in a stillness for a heart-stopping moment, and a sudden downdraft sucked her down. A bolt of lightning, not white or red or blue like regular lightning, but the darkest purple or black, struck at her. Luna somersaulted through the air and out of the way just in time.

By now even flapping her wings were useless. Luna felt like she had been forced into a hurricane or cyclone, spinning around in these winds, yet falling or rising, swung around. The storm was playing with her, like a young, destructive child would play with a doll. Luna didn't want to think about it flinging her toward the ground, breaking her body and killing her, like a child would. Hopefully this storm was just mischievous and not so much child-like. Whatever. Luna just didn't want to die.

But the wind did just that. It flung Luna through the skies. The dark alicorn did not try to flap her wings to escape. She was already unconscious.

…

"Damnit! I can't fly out of this!" Dash roared in frustration. She had seen all the other participants in the race at the sight of the storm cloud. Dash had remained, determined not to be scared off by a little rain. With great effort, she had convinced Fluttershy to stay to, though by now she was practically near hysterics with fear.

Dash felt both of her wings were stretched to the longest length on either side of her, being pulled by the winds, as if they wanted to tear her in half. She was seemingly suspended in air, battling a stubborn headwind. Fluttershy's fragile body was being tossed around, sending her cries and tears flying everywhere.

"Hang on, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash muttered through her teeth. She punched through the headwind, which seem to let up almost too suddenly. As the blue mare fought her way toward Fluttershy, she saw something dark and large being hurtled through the air above her. What was it? No time to wonder. Fluttershy was almost screaming now.

"Hang…on…!" Dash cried as she was pulled from all angles by the storm's winds, nearing Fluttershy. The pale yellow Pegasus was flying toward her. Dash had her front legs held out to catch her, when that dark object she had seen earlier obscured her view. That was all Dash saw before it slammed into her, hard, and sent the world spinning away.

…

"No!" Fluttershy shrieked, quite louder than she was used to. Dash was hit with some sort of shape she was sure she had seen before, and was knocked out. Her body had been drawn into the same slipstream as Fluttershy, and as her form passed her, the pale yellow mare flung her front legs around Rainbow Dash's neck, holding onto her friend for her life.

Fluttershy held on persistently, burying her muzzle in her friend's rainbow mane. Tears streaked down her face. She suppressed a cry of fear. She felt like she was being carried farther and farther up, away from her friends. Straight up…toward the storm!

Fluttershy saw nothing, squeezing her eyes shut and holding onto Dash's unconscious body with all her strength. Her wings were useless, pinned down by the confused zephyrs. Fluttershy had never felt so terrified in her life. She knew she was going to die, she and Dash were going to die. All she hoped was that when she got struck by lightning, or hurled into the ground, she wouldn't suffer broken or singed but die instantly, painlessly…


	4. Chapter 4: A Waking Dream of Gray

_Meh. School is taking all my time away…_

~Chapter 4~

It was still. That was all Fluttershy knew.

The wild, deranged storm zephyrs had stopped throwing her around, and now she was lying somewhere, possibly broken. She didn't feel any serious pain apart from the bruises on her shoulder and flank from her abrupt landing. With a small shiver zinging up her spinal cord, she wondered if she was in shock, or had broken her spine so she wouldn't feel anything ever again.

Slowly, very slowly, the world began to materialize one sense at a time to the pale yellow Pegasus. First touch. Her nerves fired back up, busily transmitting the pain of jostled bruises and cuts to her brain, making her wince. She twitched her forelegs, both of them clasping something big between them. Slowly, as if scared to try out if her body was paralyzed or not, Fluttershy made her movements small, innoticable, inconspicuous…

The movement ended with a broader movement of her legs, and slowly she lifted her head, knowing now that nothing must be broken, and she was still mobile. Somehow, she was alive. Her eyes opened.

Between her forelegs, she still held the unmoving form of Rainbow Dash. It took a moment for her memories to catch up, and struck by a sudden wave of panic, she shook the pale blue mare, "R-Rainbow Dash?" she murmured shakily, "Please…please wake up. Rainbow Dash? Wake up…"

What if she was dead?

The thought of just that sent tears leaping to the shy pony's eyes, blurring the sky-colored form of Dash beneath her. Fluttershy nudged Dash again, "Please!" she whimpered, and held the body closer, burying her tear-streaked muzzle into the mane of her friend. A glow of warmth could be felt through the fur, and the slow heartbeat of a sleeping pony.

Alive.

Fluttershy felt it, and she let go of Dash, standing up. She winced as she put weight on a twisted ankle, but it was a minor concern right now.

She nudged Dash again and again, calling to her softly, until the shape suddenly jerked. Dash drew her legs close to her body, and her eyes squinted, and her ears flattened.

"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy murmured.

The blue Pegasus stretched out her legs, a small groan sounding from her throat. Her eyes flicked open, hazy but sharpening with focus. She twisted her head to look up at Fluttershy standing over her, "Fluttershy…?" she murmured groggily, "Wha' happn'…?"

Fluttershy lowered her head, and scanned her surroundings. It was the first time she had noticed them, and she suddenly felt a great fear, despite the area looking very familiar to her.

She looked back at Dash, who was gaining her hooves, "Something bad happened…" she murmured softly.

…

Luna was staring in horror.

Hard, dusty gray rock was all around her, stretching out to all horizons. Not a breeze stirred, nor did the sun's touch light the dark, gloomy gray world.

Stars sparkled overhead, like flecks of ice scattered across the sky, and that was the only light Luna could see.

She felt a horrible weight on her chest, forcing the breath out of her with an audible gusting sound.

The prison on the moon.

She was back?

For another millennium here, or forever? And what had she done to deserve it? Maybe Celestia had decided Luna couldn't be trusted at all, and should be forever banished to the moon…

Luna felt weak, very weak, and hot tears spilled effortlessly from her sea-blue eyes. She shivered, and whipped around. Her eyes took in a new sight, and she screamed.

A midnight-black mare towered over her, wings outstretched and muzzle raised in defiance.

Nightmare Moon.

Luna shrank away from her dark side that now faced her. That beast was the reason why she had ever had to experience the horrors of living a thousand years in this desolate hell.

"You recognize this place, Luna." Nightmare Moon murmured, this time the voice reverberated strongly around them on the moon.

Luna stared back up at the tall black alicorn.

"Indeed, this was our prison. And it will be again, Luna. Soon, Celestia will think that she is the only being needed for the sun and moon. She will grow a greed, a raw hunger for power. And humbleness, my dear, will not help you escape her rising ambition." The dark mare said.

Luna blinked at her, "Celestia is my sister…" she murmured, "She would never turn on me…"

"Ah, but she has!" Nightmare Moon stepped closer to Luna, making her cringe. She lowered her head, her horn lightly grazing Luna's, and her breath stirring her mane, "Celestia holds much power right now. Soon, very soon…she will want all the power as the one and only monarch of Equestria. You will be discarded like trash." She spat.

Luna whimpered, "No…not Celestia."

"Think, stupid child!" Nightmare Moon stomped the gray rock beneath them. She grabbed Luna's head between her hooves and roughly jerked her head to look out to the distance, "Do you see this? Do you see where we are Luna?"

Luna tried to pull away. She was near hysterics with denial and fear, her cheeks wet with tears and hiccupy cries tearing from her maw.

"Where are we, Luna?" Nightmare growled.

Luna said nothing.

"Where are WE?" The black alicorn roared.

"Th-the…moon…" Luna sputtered, "The prison on the moon…"

"This will be your eternal domain, a lifetime of solitude and nothingness, until insanity drives you to your own grave! This is where Celestia will place you if you do not act." The taller alicorn release d her grip on Luna.

Luna moaned sadly, "But…what do I do…"

Nightmare Moon was fading into the spacial sky right before her eyes. A huge glowing orb ascended over her. The gray rock was singed black. The sun was hurtling for her moon prison, threatening to burn her alive.

…

Luna blinked open her eyes, gasping raggedly. Her entire body was shaking, and she lay still on the ground for a moment to catch her breath.

When her poise came back, Luna stood. Her gaze took in the sight around her, and she winced.

It was Ponyville. But at the same time it wasn't.

The shops and streets seemed to be rinsed in a grayscale coloring, as well as the sky. The expanse of sky above looked like a sheet of ash gray, laced with paler gray streaks of clouds that seemed more like high-flying haze.

Luna blinked, shivering as an icy breeze pushed its way by.

_This is not right._

That was all she could think.


End file.
